Sternbergia lutea

These lovely, fall-flowering bulbs are Crocus look-alikes with bright yellow blooms. The foliage appears with the yellow flowers in fall and persists until spring. Bulbs multiply freely where they are happy -- in a hot, sunny, very well-drained spot. Add a bit of lime to sweeten the soil, and a planting will quickly fill out. Try pairing with one of the glorious blue flowers of fall such as Caryopteris or Salvia for a heavenly contrast. A member of the amaryllis family, so the bulbs are essentially pest free, resistant to deer and voles. Heirloom, pre-1601.
10 per sq. ft.

To account for the differences between the climates of the Southeast and West, we have split the "warm" end of our hardiness ratings. In the example Hardiness Zone: 4-7 S / 4-9 W, the first number of each range (4) indicates cold hardiness. The second numbers (7 and 9) indicate the limits of a plant's range in the Southeast (S) and West (W).